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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25731724">Got to Get You into My Life</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fictionallemons/pseuds/fictionallemons'>fictionallemons</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Beer, Fluff, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Kissing, Lifeguard Jared, M/M, Masks, Pining Jensen Ackles, Quarantine, References to the Beatles, Swimming, Swimming Pools, Test Results, Texting, social distancing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:22:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,451</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25731724</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fictionallemons/pseuds/fictionallemons</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Quarantine drags on but when Jensen's pool reopens he starts swimming again. There's a new lifeguard on duty that pique's Jensen's interest--the only trouble is, he doesn't know anything about him, not even what he looks like without a mask on.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>136</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I have borrowed J2's names and faces for this original story. **Complete**</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Knees up! Come on, let's get that pace up. Martha—I have my eyes on you. Let's go, people!" Kim's voice echoes over the title walls of the pool deck, aided by the wireless microphone she's got strapped to her head. Even with her nose and mouth covered by a hot pink mask, she can be clearly heard over the music blasting from the pool's speaker system. The dozen older folks in the last six lanes of the pool are currently bouncing up and down to "I Get Around."</p>
<p>The sight and the sound make Jensen smile. He mouths along with the words behind his mask as he shuffles out of his flip-flops, shoves his t-shirt up and over his head. He puts on his goggles, and takes off his mask at the last minute, hanging it up on the new hooks installed at the end of each swim lane for this exact purpose.</p>
<p>Swimming at the local pool has changed since the global pandemic shut down the world for a little while, but in some ways for the better. As he slips into the cool water, Jensen appreciates the fact that he has a set time to swim his laps. He doesn't have to share a lane, or wait until one opens up. As long as he can get to the online reservation system early enough, he's golden. And he needs the exercise. Working from home, alone, for four months put a real kink in his workout routine. He used to bike to the train, then take the train to the city, where he did plenty of walking. Now it's just him and his computer, and barely any reason to leave the house. Since the pool opened up again he's been going at least every other day.</p>
<p>He starts with an easy crawl, feels the stretch in his muscles as he slices through the water. It's become a habit to get a lane during Kim's aqua fitness class. He likes her music—mostly classic rock, jukebox favorites that most of the people who took the class probably listened to on the radio when they were new releases. It's nice to feel even though he's swimming all alone, with nothing but his own thoughts for company, that he's still part of a community. Everything's felt so strange for so long now that he craves even a slight sense of normalcy.</p>
<p>Jensen switches to the backstroke, and notes the time. Ten minutes since he started swimming and here <i>he</i> comes, right on time. The lifeguards in their bright red shirts rotate positions, and the girl who'd been in the chair closest to Jensen climbs down, and <i>he</i> climbs up. </p>
<p>Jensen likes coming to the pool during Kim's class, sure, but there's another reason he chooses the same slot every time—the lifeguard who comes on duty during this hour. He's new, because Jensen would have remembered him, he's certain of it. He's tall—taller than Jensen—and his legs are about a mile long. He's got longish brown hair and dark brown tanned skin. Jensen doesn't really know how old he is, or what he looks like under the simple black mask he invariably wears when on duty. Jensen's never seen him not on duty—he's still working every time Jensen's hour is up. Jensen doesn't know anything about him at all, except that there's something about him that gives Jensen a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. </p>
<p>The lifeguard is careful, always keeping a watchful eye on the swimmers. Jensen can't make out the color of his eyes from his vantage point in the water, but he knows they're dark and don't miss anything. Once Jensen had mistimed a breath and come up choking on a spray of water, the pool chemicals burning the back of his throat and tickling his nose. He'd easily made it to the side of the pool, but he was still coughing when the lifeguard had dropped to a crouch by his side, taking inventory with his eyes.</p>
<p>"All right?" he'd said, voice low but clear.</p>
<p>Jensen had nodded. "Just a bit of water down the wrong way." He was sure his face was bright red.</p>
<p>"Take it easy," the man had said, then resumed his post.</p>
<p>Jensen had nodded, got his breathing under control, finished his swim. <i>"All right? Take it easy."</i> The words had echoed in his head the rest of his swim and Jensen wondered how he'd gotten so crazy over someone who'd only spoken five words to him.</p>
<p>Today, Jensen focuses on his routine, not wanting to embarrass himself with another coughing incident. When he's nearly done, he stretches in the shallow end, and Kim's class is doing jab-crosses to "Got to Get You into My Life."</p>
<p>"This one's for you, Jared," Kim calls, nodding at Jensen's lifeguard. Not that's he's <i>Jensen's</i>—just—whatever. Jensen can't help looking over. The lifeguard—Jared—salutes at Kim.</p>
<p>"I know you love your Beatles. Come on, watch your shoulders Arthur!" Kim yells.</p>
<p>Jensen's overwhelmed with all the precious information he's gotten in the last ten seconds. He continues his stretching routine, letting the peppy horns and Paul McCartney's voice wash over him as he contemplates what he's learned. The lifeguard's name is Jared. He likes the Beatles. And Kim knows this about him. How does Kim know him? Are they friends?</p>
<p>His hour is almost up and he risks glancing at Jared as he hoists himself out of the pool. He stands still for a second, letting water stream off him into the gutter of the pool before reaching for his towel. Jared's looking at him, too, and his eyes seem to crinkle a little. Is he smiling behind the mask? Jensen smiles back, an automatic response, then feels a bit silly. He towels off quickly, strips off his goggles, puts his mask back on, hightailing it out of there, wondering how he'd gotten so tangled up in someone whose face he's never seen. </p>
<p>He whistles "Got to Get You into My Life" all the way home.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jensen and Jared actually have a conversation.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Two days later, Jensen's back in the pool. Kim's yelling at her class to put some energy into their bio-metric jumping jacks, and Jared's at his post, toe tapping along with the music, Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock 'n Roll."</p>
<p>Jensen takes a breather after he finishes a 500 yard freestyle, taking note of his time. He's getting faster, a bit more in shape. When he'd started coming to the pool he had been sluggish and now he's feeling fitter all the time.</p>
<p>He takes in the roiling gray clouds overhead. Normally, they'd be in the indoor pool, but it's getting new air filters installed today, so they're outdoors, which Jensen likes better as a rule, except for having to apply plenty of sunblock before getting in. He's got enough freckles to last the rest of his life, thank you very much.</p>
<p>But the downside to swimming outside is the chance of thunderstorms his phone's weather app has been chirping about all day. As if on cue, Kim's water workout mix plays "Dreams," by Fleetwood Mac, and just as Stevie Nicks starts singing about thunder only happening when it's raining, rain drops begin to fall in fat plops into the pool, and the lifeguards blow their whistles to get everyone out.</p>
<p>Jensen's a little bummed about having his workout cut short, but he pulls himself out of the pool quickly, not wanting to distract the lifeguards from where they're helping the older folks out. Jared helps Martha, and then Jean, just as a flash of lightning lights up the air around them. There's the impression of a crackle, and then thunder follows a few seconds later. The storm's close; they need to get off the pool deck and under shelter.</p>
<p>He grabs his stuff, then helps Kim unplug her portable stereo and push it to the overhang next to the locker rooms, which are, of course, closed due to the pandemic. He catches sight of the red-shirted lifeguards, including Jared, making sure everyone is safe and under the overhang. The parking lot is on the other side of the complex, so unless the swimmers want to walk through pouring rain dripping wet in their bathing suits in a thunderstorm, they're all stuck here for the time being. </p>
<p>Jensen wraps his towel around his waist, puts on his now-damp mask. He's not in a hurry. He'd planned to swim for the full hour before heading home to shower and put in a few more hours of work. It's Friday, so he treats himself to take out. He'd been debating Italian or Indian. He wonders idly if Jared likes curry.</p>
<p>"You ever thought about taking my class, Jensen?" Kim's voice cuts into his thoughts.</p>
<p>"Gotta work on getting in better shape before I do that," Jensen says, only half seriously.</p>
<p>"I think you'd do fine," Kim says. "Jared sometimes takes the Friday evening class when he gets off his shift."</p>
<p>"Oh?" Jensen's mind grabs at the window of opportunity to ask Kim about Jared. "You know him well?"</p>
<p>"I'm friends with his mom. We've done spin together for years."</p>
<p>Jensen tries to do some mental math. Kim's probably in her mid forties, so if Jared's mom is, too, there's a really good chance he's been perving on a teenager. Goddamnit.</p>
<p>"Sherri's good people. So's Jared. I feel bad that his senior year got all messed up by this pandemic."</p>
<p>"Senior year?" Jensen's well and truly panicking now. "Uh, yeah, it sucks for all the seniors out there," he says mindlessly. "Graduation getting canceled and all."</p>
<p>"Yeah, my niece is still heartbroken about prom. At least in college there's not as much emphasis on the ritual. I didn't even go to my college graduation." Kim's carefully packing up her stuff, hopefully not tuned in to Jensen's awkward fishing.</p>
<p>"College, yeah." Please, please, please let that mean that Kim's talking about Jared's senior year of college.</p>
<p>"Anyway, I better tell everyone to go home. See you soon, Jensen. And think about class!" Kim announces the cancellation of the rest of class, and tells everyone they can stay as long as like under the shelter until the storm passes and it's safe to make the trek to the parking lot.</p>
<p>Jensen's feeling so out of sorts that he doesn't register the presence next to him until he hears, "I usually like thunderstorms, but not when they interrupt my workout."</p>
<p>Jensen glances over, and up. Damn, Jared's tall. He meets Jared's gaze eventually and unsuccessfully tries to figure out what color his eyes are. Then he realizes Jared actually said something to him and he's yet to say anything back. "Yeah. Thunderstorms. Well, it's summer, so…"</p>
<p>Jared lets out a small laugh. "Yeah. Comes with the territory."</p>
<p>"Guess so." Then nothing. Jensen wonders if it would be easier or harder to actually have a conversation like a regular person if he could see Jared's entire face. He casts about for something to say before Jared gives up and goes to talk to the cute blonde lifeguard putting away some equipment. "Um, Kim said you just graduated." That wasn't too stalker-y, right?</p>
<p>"Doesn't feel like it, didn't get to do the whole cap and gown thing, but I guess that doesn't matter. I'm starting again in a couple of months anyway, so it doesn't really feel like a big change."</p>
<p>Oh god. He's seriously crushing on a recent high school graduate. Pandemic or not, Jensen vows to get out more. Somehow.</p>
<p>"At least the masters program I'm doing already had a remote option, so it's not like they're reinventing the wheel with the curriculum. It'll be online to start, then we'll see."</p>
<p>Wait. Masters program? Jensen's shoulders sag with relief. Masters means college graduate. College graduate means Jared's at least 21. With Jensen's 30th birthday looming, that's still a big age difference, but at least he doesn't have to beat himself up over the teenager thing. "What are you getting your masters in?"</p>
<p>"Teaching," Jared answers. "I'm taking a dual special ed/general ed class load."</p>
<p>"Teaching, wow, that's amazing." Jensen's got a soft spot for teachers, since there are a lot of them in his family.</p>
<p>"Thanks," Jared says, and it sounds like he's smiling under his mask.</p>
<p>Jensen looks around and notices there aren't many people left and it's been a while since he heard thunder. Before he can think of a reason to delay, Jared says, "See you around," and lopes away.</p>
<p>When Jensen gets home he doesn't even shower before sitting down at his computer and typing in <i>how to ask someone on a date during a pandemic</i>.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jensen finally gets to see Jared without a mask.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jensen doesn't have a slot at the pool today, so he hauls himself out of bed while it's still marginally cool, throws on his running shoes and heads to the park by city hall. There are a couple of other cars in the parking lot, but the trail's empty and he starts of in a lope, leaving his mask in his pocket. He hadn't slept well, and he wakes up a bit further with every step, every breath, as oxygen starts infusing his blood.</p><p>He's got his head down, earbuds in, flying along, his mind stubbornly stuck on whether or not he should ask Jared if he wants to meet up in some socially distant way outside of the pool sometime. It's kind of unfair that the only guy he's had any interest in in nearly a year and it's a damn pandemic. Hard enough to ask a guy out when you aren't 100% sure he's interested, but he doesn't even know what Jared looks like.</p><p>Jensen turns the corner to start looping back the parking lot, when he nearly runs into someone coming the other way. It's a guy—a big guy, who startles as Jensen accidentally comes way too close to his personal space, and then whose expression morphs into a surprised smile. Jensen's about to apologize and keep going, but then the guy says, "Jensen?"</p><p>He looks at the guy again—he's cute, really really cute, and Jensen's positive he's never seen him before. He'd remember that bright smile, dimpled cheeks, adorable nose, slanted eyes… Wait. Those eyes. Jensen does a double take.</p><p>"Jared?"</p><p>"Yeah, from the pool?" Jared tilts the sentence up into a question, as if he's worried Jensen doesn't know who he is.</p><p>"Of course, I didn't recognize you without your—" It's only now that Jensen realizes that Jared's not only not wearing his customary mask, but what he's wearing on top barely qualifies as a shirt. The threadbare gray tank top reveals lean, ropey arms, muscular shoulders, and a good bit of firm, deeply tanned chest for good measure. Jensen swallows. Jesus.</p><p>"Oh! You want me to put on my mask?" Jared asks quickly, reaching into his back pocket of his black running shorts and pulling out a familiar piece of black cloth. "You're really good about wearing yours."</p><p>Jensen wonders if that's code for Jared thinking he's a huge dork, but before he can say anything, Jared goes on. "It's nice. It shows that you care about other people. My sister is immunocompromised, so I'm really careful."</p><p>"Oh, wow, that must be really tough," Jensen says. "But I think if we're outside, and we're six feet apart, it's probably okay?" He steps a few feet farther away, to be on the safe side. He really, really wants to have a conversation with Jared's entire face. His really attractive face.</p><p>"True," Jared says, tucking his mask away. Then he smiles and Jensen loses a few seconds just staring at him.</p><p>"What?" Jensen says.</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>"Did you say something?"</p><p>"No," Jared's smiling harder now. "I'm just enjoying having a conversation with someone I'm not related to by blood. It's been a long few months."</p><p>Jensen smiles back, because there's something infectious about Jared's smile. Bad choice of words, but still. "I live alone, so it's nice to have any human interaction at all."</p><p>"Not sure what's worse—alone during a quarantine, or having to share a bathroom with your little sister."</p><p>Jensen laughs. "I've got a little sister, too, so…toss up,  guess."</p><p>Jared smile grows wider, if possible. "Where are they during all this—your sister and your family I mean."</p><p>"A few hours away in the town where I grew up. I moved here for work after college. But apparently I can do my job at home no problem, so I'm not sure what's going to happen to the office long-term."</p><p>"You like working from home?"</p><p>"It's okay." Jensen actually really misses going in to the office, having face-to-face conversations and going home at the end of the day feeling like he'd accomplished something, but it seems churlish to complain when he still has a job and a paycheck. "But if I don't get out of the house for at least a little while every day I start going crazy." Jensen can feel his muscles start to tighten up as they're talking, so he accidentally-on-purpose pulls one arm across his chest in a stretch. </p><p>Jared's eyes follow the movement of Jensen's arm. He says, "I hear you," rather distractedly. Then he licks his bottom lip.</p><p>If Jensen was a different person and they weren't in a global pandemic, he'd throw himself on Jared right here and now.</p><p>But he isn't and they are, so he sighs, and switches arms. "So, you a runner?"</p><p>"I actually did some triathlons in college," Jared says. "Not sure if that's in the cards for the future, but I like to stay in shape."</p><p>Jensen heroically keeps himself from blatantly checking out Jared from head to toe. He clears his throat. "Triathlons, cool. I'm not much of a bicycler myself."</p><p>"Bicyclist," Jared corrects, then he blushes. "Sorry, that's the future teacher in me."</p><p>Jensen laughs. "Noted. So…" he wants to ask him for a drink, or dinner, or hell, to skip right to the part when they get the awkward first time out of the way so they can have an excellent second time, but…pandemic.</p><p>"So…" Jared echoes. "Um. My uncle has a house on Bear Pond, but it's just sitting empty. It's supposed to be really hot this weekend, and I was going to go out and swim on Saturday. Maybe you'd want to come for a while?"</p><p>Jensen thinks it over. They'd be outside, no other people around. Pretty low risk, for Jared and by extension his immunocompromised sister. And they'd be swimming. Which means lots of opportunities for Jensen to ogle Jared. </p><p>"That sounds fun. Why don't you give me your number and you can text me directions?"</p><p>"Okay." Jared's smiling again, big and bright and Jensen can't believe he's been hiding that beautiful smile under a mask the whole time.</p><p>They exchange numbers, and it's not until they've said goodbye and gone opposite ways down the path that Jensen realizes that he may be doing a lot of ogling this weekend, but he's not going to be able to touch an inch of Jared's tantalizing skin.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yeah, so chapter count went up a bit, as per usual. :-P</p><p>Thanks for reading!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jensen and Jared go for a swim.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jared texts Jensen the next day while he's getting ready for his swim. They're not allowed to use the locker rooms at the pool right now, so he showers, then slips on his black swim trunks and a t-shirt. His heart beat speeds up when his phone chirps and he sees the name flash on the screen.</p><p><b>Jared:</b> Hi. You still free tomorrow?</p><p>Jensen bites his lip and types out a reply. He wants to hang out with Jared more than anything, but is keenly aware of not wanting to seem too desperate. </p><p><b>Jensen:</b> Hi. Sure.</p><p>He holds his breath waiting. Should he have been more enthusiastic? Should he have waited longer to answer? The phone makes a noise and he lets out the breath.</p><p><b>Jared:</b>  Great! 1PM? 23 Lake Road.</p><p><b>Jensen:</b> I'll be there.</p><p><b>Jared:</b> See you tomorrow.</p><p><b>Jensen:</b> What about the pool? I'm heading there now.</p><p><b>Jared:</b> Day off.</p><p>Jensen doesn't know if he should respond or just let it go. He's going to be late if he doesn't head out. He can't resist checking his phone one more time after sliding behind the wheel of his car. Jared's left one more message.</p><p><b>Jared:</b> Have a good swim, Jensen.</p><p>***</p><p>Saturday is hot and humid and Jensen spends the morning pacing, half-heartedly doing a load of laundry and making an order for two weeks' worth of groceries to be delivered Monday. He calls his mom and texts his sister, who convinces him to agree to Zoom charades with their cousins the next evening. He eats lunch, then spends way too long on his hair considering if they're really just going for a swim in the lake it will get immediately messed up again.</p><p>He can't remember being this excited about a date, and it's not even really a date. Sure, Jared seems interested. But maybe he's just like that. Maybe he's just super friendly and bored living at home all summer during a pandemic. Maybe he has a boyfriend who lives far away. Maybe he has a girlfriend.</p><p>Maybe Jensen should just go and get out of his head for a little while.</p><p>It's a beautiful drive up to Bear Pond, and Jensen finds the house no problem, a small wood cabin, set back about a hundred yards from the waterfront. There's an old jalopy parked outside. Jensen pulls up behind it, and Jared comes out the front door, waving and smiling and generally being adorable.</p><p>"Hey, great place," Jensen says, climbing out of his car.</p><p>"Thanks. My uncle is almost never here. Let me grab the cooler and I'll meet you down on the beach?"</p><p>"Cool." Jensen grabs his bag—towel, sunscreen and the like. He'd brought a sixer of his favorite local pilsner, so he brings that, too, encouraged by the cooler reference. He finds the path to the beach and lets out a low whistle. It's not fancy, but it's stunning, and completely empty. There's a square floating dock a little ways offshore, and a couple of Adirondack chairs and a fire pit, too.</p><p>"This would be a great place for a party," Jensen says, when Jared joins him a minute later, hoisting a dark green cooler in his two arms. His two jacked arms, Jensen can't help but notice. He's wearing a tank top again. Jensen tries not to feel frumpy in his faded blue t-shirt and the same swim trunks Jared's seen him in a dozen times.</p><p>"Had some ragers here in high school, I won't lie. But it seems like it might be a while before we're partying again."</p><p>"Yeah. It's all so surreal. Like even this, we're outside, we're healthy, and it still kind of feels like we're breaking the rules." Jensen glances over at Jared, who's definitely more than six feet away from him, and wonders if they're ever going to be able to bridge that gap.</p><p>"You a rule-follower, Jensen?" Jared asks, settling the cooler into the rocky sand at his feet.</p><p>Jensen considers before answering. He's lived his life pretty straightforwardly—got decent grades, played sports, went to college, found a steady job that he doesn't hate. He loves his parents and his sister and he's got a few close friends. The most non-conforming thing he's ever done is be gay in twenty-first century America. "I guess I am," he says finally.</p><p>"That was a long pause," Jared says. "Interesting."</p><p>"I'm really not that interesting," Jensen says, than winces. He wants Jared to like him, after all. But suddenly he's got the feeling that he's not good enough for the guy—younger, taller, hotter—standing ten feet away from him. "What about you," he says quickly, "Mr. Future Teacher. You must be into following the rules."</p><p>Jared laughs, and Jensen covets the flash of bright white teeth and crease down the middle of Jared's cheek. "My mom loves to tell a story about my first day of kindergarten—my teacher taught us about following the class rules that I came home and complained that I liked rules but only when I got to make them."</p><p>Jensen tries to picture five-year-old Jared chafing under kindergarten rules. All he can come up with is that Jared must have been a really cute kid.</p><p>"So you're a control freak," he says, matter-of-factly, and Jared laughs again.</p><p>"I never thought of it that way, but maybe I am. A little. When I'm a teacher, I'll be master of my little domain."</p><p>"Gotta say, that sounds a little kinky," Jensen says without thinking.</p><p>Jared laughs. Third time. Jensen's screwed if he's keeping track. He's screwed anyway, because Jared's hot and smart and if Jensen had been crushing on him hard before he'd even seen his face, then he's crushing twice as hard now.</p><p>"Here," Jensen says, to distract himself from the want welling up in him. He holds up the six pack. "Room in there for this?"</p><p>Jared flips open the cooler and tips it toward Jensen. It's got another half dozen bottle on ice, a couple of water bottles, and a couple of Tupperwares that look like they might have watermelon and other goodies. "Not sure," he says. "We might have to drink some to make room."</p><p>"Drinking and swimming? That sounds like it's against the rules. Especially for a lifeguard."</p><p>"Then let's swim first." And before Jensen realizes what's happening, Jared strips off his tank top, leaving his long, sculpted torso bare. He steps out of his flip flops and runs for the water, diving in one elegant move. He comes up shaking water from his hair like a dog, grinning. "Come on!"</p><p>Jensen fumbles to catch up, kicking off his shoes, leaving his shirt in a puddle next to them. He put sunscreen on before he left, so he just needs to remember to reapply before too long. He's diving into the water a few seconds later. The cold of it shocks him, and he comes up sputtering. "Okay, it's a lot colder than the pool."</p><p>"You'll get used to it," Jared says with a grin, and then he starts toward the float with strong, sure strokes. Jensen lets himself watch, treading water, for a few seconds before he follows behind.</p><p>They swim, and float, and talk, keeping their distance—out of habit more than anything else. Jensen's not sure how long they've been out there, but he's starting to tire, and a cold beer under the shade sitting in those Adirondack chairs sounds pretty nice. He's about to suggest they head in when he hears the sound of a boat. They haven't seen or heard anyone else out on the pond at all today, but he turns around and there's a boat, shit, actually, really close, a small speedboat, cutting into their little corner of the pond. Jensen turns his back to it to make sure Jared sees, that he's not coming too close, when something knocks into the back of Jensen's head, hard, and everything goes black.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jared checks Jensen out.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jensen comes to coughing. His eyes are gritty and feel glued shut, but he pries them open. The drops of water clinging to his eyelashes give the world a glittery sheen. His throat feels like he's just coughed up a gallon of lake water. Maybe he has. But he's not dead. He's on the beach, and when Jensen has enough awareness he sees that Jared's crouched down next to him, ashen-faced, his eyebrows drawn together in concern.</p><p>"Jensen, it's okay, you're okay. Just breathe." Jared sounds worried, but calm. If that makes any sense. None of this makes any sense.</p><p>"What…happened?" Jensen asks when he gets enough breath to force out the words.</p><p>"I'll tell you, but first, how do you feel? I can call an ambulance and we can have you checked out—"</p><p>"No, it's, not the best time to go to hospital right now." Jensen may have blacked out or something, but he remembers that there's still a global pandemic.</p><p>"Yeah, but if you got water in your lungs, we need to know. Aspiration is no joke. You probably have a concussion, too."</p><p>Jensen considers. "You're a lifeguard. Don't you have some medical training?"</p><p>"I'm actually an EMT, too," Jared says, almost reluctantly. "Which means I know how bad things can get. I don't want to be responsible if I miss something."</p><p>An EMT. A lifeguard. A future teacher. Jared is kind of too-good-to-be-true.</p><p>But Jensen forces his brain off how perfect Jared is and focuses in on how he's feeling. He's breathing fine now, and the only thing that hurts is the back of his head. He touches it lightly and looks at his fingers. No blood. "Did I get knocked out by something?"</p><p>"The boat's wake sent a pretty good sized log your way. It must have hit you in just the wrong place because all of a sudden you went under."</p><p>"And you saved me." Jensen was unconscious through the whole thing, but he can picture it happening, Jared cutting through the water, diving down, getting him in one of those safety holds, towing him to shore. "Did you do CPR?" he asks, his gaze flicking to Jared's mouth.</p><p>Jared smiles. A little. "No. I just turned you on your side and you started coughing and woke up."</p><p>"Too bad," Jensen says casually, his voice rough from coughing but also suggestion.</p><p>"Why?" Now it looks like Jared's struggling to keep a bigger smile off his face.</p><p>"If you'd done CPR, then we would have already shared our germs. And maybe I could kiss you. Like, as a thank you. For saving my life."</p><p>"Oh." Jared's grinning now. "I don't know that I saved your life."</p><p>"You did. I would have drowned if I'd been out there by myself." Jensen shivers with the knowledge that he could have died.</p><p>"I'm glad I was there." Jared does look glad, and Jensen falls a little bit more.</p><p>"Me too." Then he sighs and sits all the way up. His skin is starting to warm up, under the still-hot afternoon sun.</p><p>"So you're really feeling okay? You'll tell me if you feel dizzy or nauseous or anything?" Jared asks.</p><p>"Maybe you should check me out, just to make sure." Jensen's only half joking. He actually feels fine, despite the aching spot on the back of his head. But he's not anxious to get back in the water, and a beer is probably a bad idea.</p><p>"I could do that." Jared scoots closer, starts at the spot where the log hit him. Jensen feels the slightest of pressure where Jared gently probes the skin under his hair. He realizes this is the first time Jared's ever touched him—while he was conscious anyway—and he shivers again. Jared's actually <i>touching</i> him. It feels somehow dangerous.</p><p>"Does that hurt?" Jared asks with concern.</p><p>"A little." Jensen licks his lips, which are suddenly dry.</p><p>"You've got a small knot, but the skin's not broken. We should ice it."</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>Jared moves away to the cooler, roots around until he comes up with a chunk of ice. He wraps it in his tank top and holds it up to Jensen's head gingerly.</p><p>"Hold this," he says, and Jensen complies obediently. He can smell Jared on the shirt—deodorant and a little sweat. He wills himself not to get hard in his wet swim trunks. It's a little bit pathetic how just the fact that he's got something belonging to Jared rubbing against his skin is taking his mind places it shouldn't. He'd chalk it up to quarantine desperation, but that would be a lie. He's just really, really into the adorable literal life-saver who's handing him a cold water bottle and ordering him to take small sips.</p><p>"Thanks for taking care of me," Jensen says. "I really don't think I need to go to the doctor or anything."</p><p>"That's good. But if anything changes, please get checked out."</p><p>Jensen nods. "So, I guess our lake adventure's getting cut short." He supposes he should get out of Jared's hair.</p><p>"No more swimming today," Jared says, a little sadly. "And no beer for you."</p><p>"Rain check?" Jensen asks.</p><p>Jared nods. "Sounds good."</p><p>Jensen gets to his feet carefully, tries to hand back the makeshift ice-pack, but Jared shakes his head. "Keep it for the ride home."</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>"Text me later?" Jared asks. "Let me know how you're feeling."</p><p>"I'll do that." Jensen grabs his shirt, shuffles on his shoes, leaves the beer he brought.</p><p>"And Jensen?"</p><p>Jensen looks up. Jared's smiling shyly. "For the record, I'm kinda sorry I didn't get to do CPR."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>texting</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Upon reflection, Jared probably wouldn't let Jensen drive home with a probable concussion, but I'm not rewriting it, so chalk it up to artistic license.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>Jared:</b> Just checking in. How are you feeling?</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> Fine. Totally all better. </p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> Even the back of your head?</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> Only hurts when I touch it.</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> Definitely don't touch it then.</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> Wasn't planning to.</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> Have to do a lot of that lately.</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> What?</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> Not touching</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> Yeah, I know what you mean</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b>  It kind of sucks.</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> This is a strange time.</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> I had fun today, though. Thanks for inviting me</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> We'll do it again. Without the head injury.</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> Deal</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> So I guess you're going to take a break from the pool for a few days?</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> Probably not a bad idea. </p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> Well, I'll miss you</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> You won't miss having to save me</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> Only a little</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> Good night, Jared</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> Good night, Jensen</p>
<p>***</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> So I feel awesome and will definitely be at the pool today</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> That's great! I'll see you there. But watch the weather--I heard something about a tornado warning.</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> Tornadoes in Connecticut?</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> It's the tropical storm</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> Just be careful</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> Yes, sir</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> :-P</p>
<p>***</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> Okay, so maybe you were right and there was a tornado in Connecticut.</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> You okay?</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> I'm fine, but there's a huge tree down and I can't get out of my street. Kinda trapped here, I guess. You okay?</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> Yeah, I was at the pool but they closed it, made us wait it out, then sent us home after the worst had passed. My mom's power is completely out. She and my sister are going to head up to my grandparents. They're saying it might be a week before we get power back.</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> Shit, that's awful. I still have power.</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> That's good</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> You staying put? In the dark?</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> I'll be okay.</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> I'd let you crash here, but...giant tree.</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> Giant tree. Never heard that excuse before.</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> You could probably climb over it, being a giant and all yourself.</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> I probably could.</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> ...</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> You wanna come over? Use me for my phone charger?</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> Only if you really wouldn't mind.</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> You know what, never mind</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> No I want you to, Jared. Please. Give me a chance to pay you back for saving my life and everything.</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> What's your address? I'll be there as soon as I can scale the tree.</p>
<p><b>Jensen:</b> Be careful</p>
<p><b>Jared:</b> Yes, sir</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jared comes over.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jensen spends the next hour zooming around his place, cleaning up dishes he'd been ignoring, changing his t-shirt unnecessarily, looking to see what he can make for dinner out of the hodgepodge of groceries he has on hand. It's hard ordering food online; he inevitably forgets something essential, like onions, and ends up with too many…avocados. Actually, the avocados give him an idea and after he throws a playlist on his sound system, he sets to making guacamole.</p>
<p>He's not nervous that Jared's coming over. Not about the virus. He knows Jared's super careful and he hasn't been anywhere since getting home from their ill-fated lake trip several days earlier. But still, he doesn't know Jared all that well yet, and he's coming over. To stay. For a night, at least, and while Jensen's super happy to extend the offer of a lighted, air-conditioned roof over his head, while the outside world deals with a pandemic and cleaning up from the brief, but powerful, tropical storm that hit only hours earlier, he's still not sure exactly how this is going to go. It's Jared. Sweet, smart, hot Jared. Jared, who, if circumstances had been different, Jensen would already have made a move on. Jared, who maybe just sees Jensen as a new, convenient friend. Jared who—</p>
<p>Jared who's at Jensen's door right this minute. At the sound of the knock, Jensen wipes his hands on a dish towel and goes to answer the door instead of freaking out.</p>
<p>"Hey." Jared's standing on his doorstep. He's wearing a backpack. And a mask. So they're back to masks. Jensen stifles his disappointment. Just because he wants to be able to act like everything's normal, it's not. Jared still has to think about his sister, and his mom, and himself. Jensen thinks about the email he got earlier today and hopes it'll be enough.</p>
<p>"Hey," he says, opening the door wider to let Jared through.   "You made it."</p>
<p>"I found a parking spot around the corner, hiked in. That tree is pretty massive, but there's a way around it on foot. And you are so lucky your power didn't go out—there's a bunch of power lines down, but you must be on a different section of the grid."</p>
<p>"Believe me, I'm feeling really lucky right now," Jensen says. "Make yourself at home."</p>
<p>Jared looks down, seems to notice that Jensen's barefoot, and toes of his shoes and socks. He has really pretty feet, Jensen notices absently. Pretty and large. He clears his throat.</p>
<p>"I made guacamole. Want a beer?"</p>
<p>"Sounds perfect." Jared sets down his bag. "I know you were joking before, but can I plug in my phone? I've been draining my battery making sure Mom and Megan are all set."</p>
<p>Jensen points to an outlet and asks, "Is Megan your sister?"</p>
<p>"Yeah. She's four years younger. Going to defer at least a semester before heading back to college."</p>
<p>"My sister's four years younger, too."</p>
<p>"Which makes her…"</p>
<p>"Twenty five. Older than you."</p>
<p>"Hmmm. So you're twenty nine. I was wondering." Jared plugs in his phone, cocks his head. "Does that bother you? That I'm younger than your sister?"</p>
<p>"Why would it bother me?" Jensen says, then wishes he'd said something else. Something less obviously defensive. He sighs. "Sorry—I. You know, when I first saw you at the pool, I couldn't tell how old you were, you  know, with the…" he gestures to the lower half of his face. Jared's still wearing his mask, and at that he seems to remember he's got it on, and takes it off carefully. God, he's so stupidly attractive. Jensen swallows. </p>
<p>"I was worried that maybe…" He trails off, considering his words. So far, their flirting has been pretty mild. He gets the sense that if he doesn't say the right thing, then maybe Jared is going to friend zone him and this is going to turn out to be a platonic sleepover. He wouldn't mind counting Jared as a friend. It's just kind of hard to be friends with someone you think is so phenomenally hot. "…maybe I was crushing on a teenager." His cheeks feel warm and Jared smiles.</p>
<p>"You were crushing on me?"</p>
<p>"Um. Yeah." Jensen can't help the flutter of nerves in his belly. "But, you know, that's not, I mean, that's not why I invited you."</p>
<p>"You mean you're not expecting me to put out in exchange for a place to stay?"</p>
<p>Jensen's pretty sure that Jared's putting on his deadpan tone, but he sputters anyway. "Jesus, of course not."</p>
<p>Jared grins. "I'm just messing with you. You're like the most gentlemanly guy who's ever mildly hit on me."</p>
<p>Jensen snorts. "I guess the pandemic's brought our my inner gentleman."</p>
<p>"It's not a bad thing, Jensen." Jared turns serious for a second. "It's a crazy time and I never thought I'd meet someone and not be able to…hey, I love this song," Jared says, walking toward the kitchen.</p>
<p>Jensen remembers the music he's got playing. He can hear the horns of "Got to Get You Into My Life" and he follows Jared. "Kim said you like The Beatles."</p>
<p>"I do like the Beatles." Jared swipes his bangs out of his eyes and smiles. "I like you, too."</p>
<p>Jensen feels nothing like a grown almost-thirty-year-old man when Jared says those words. He feels like his stomach is bouncing on a trampoline and his cheeks are going to freeze in a happy grin. "Yeah? So what were you going to say before, about meeting someone and not able to—"</p>
<p>"You know, do normal stuff, like touch. I feel like Rogue, terrified of touching someone in case I hurt them."</p>
<p>"I'm not afraid of you hurting me."</p>
<p>"I know, it's irrational. It's just a little unsettling. But I actually get tested for work every week and I'm negative. In case you were wondering."</p>
<p>"Really? That's good," Jensen says. He takes a second to empty a bag of chips into a bowl, setting it out next to the freshly made guacamole. He gets two beers from the fridge and hands one to Jared. "That's really good, actually. And I—well, after that day at the lake I took one of those mail order tests—you get the results in a couple of days, and they emailed me this morning."</p>
<p>"And?"</p>
<p>"Negative."</p>
<p>Jared's smile is bright enough to power the whole part of the city that's currently in the dark. "That's great."</p>
<p>"Yeah, so I guess that means neither of us is Rogue." Jensen opens his beer, takes a long sip. He's happy that they're both healthy and that they both seem to be on the same page. But something's stopping him from just going over and plastering himself to Jared like parts of him wants to. Maybe it's because this isn't some random hook up, and Jensen doesn't want it to be. </p>
<p>The next song comes on—"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away." Jared sets his unopened beer on the counter.</p>
<p>"Did you know that some people think this song is about Brian Epstein being in unrequited love with John Lennon?" Jared says conversationally.</p>
<p>"No. I always thought it was sad, though."</p>
<p>"Hey, Jensen, remember when you said our hooking up wasn't a prerequisite for my staying over?"</p>
<p>"Yeah?"</p>
<p>"That doesn't mean we can't fool around, though, right?"</p>
<p>Jensen laughs, relaxes. He's totally over thinking things. "No, that doesn't mean that at all."</p>
<p>"Then come here," Jared says. Jensen finds himself standing between Jared's legs a second later, long, muscular legs framing Jensen's slightly shorter ones. Jared's strong, lithe hands come up around Jensen back. Jensen can't help the shudder that rolls through him at the sensation of someone else's hands on him. It's been a long, long time. Long since before quarantine made it complicated, Jensen has been alone.</p>
<p>"You okay?" Jared murmurs, running the top of his sloped nose over one of Jensen's cheekbones.</p>
<p>"Yeah," Jensen struggles to breath normally. "Just—it feels good. It's been a while."</p>
<p>"I'm going to make you feel so good," Jared says. And then he tilts Jensen's chin up and kisses him, sweet and sure. Jensen melts into him. </p>
<p>He'd imagined it, kissing Jared. It's nothing like he imagined. He had the fantasy about cute-lifeguard-Jared, then after the park, about hot-jogger-Jared. He'd fantasized about future-sexy-teacher-Jared. His imagination has worked overtime since Jared first came into his life. And he could never have imagined how perfectly Jared's lips mold to his own, how tantalizing the tip of Jared's tongue flicking against Jensen's feels, how effortlessly their mouths move, searching for something, something that kissing alone can't provide. </p>
<p>His cock is rock hard in seconds. His hands roam Jared's arms, shoulders, up the sides of his neck. Jared shivers when Jensen presses one palm to the pulse point under his jaw, while the other brushes against his nipples, diamond hard even through his shirt.</p>
<p>"Fuck," Jared breathes. Jensen pulls away to take in Jared's flushed cheeks and raw-bitten mouth. "You're not only the hottest guy I've ever seen in real life, but the best kisser, too."</p>
<p>Jensen feels himself grin crookedly. "You're not so bad yourself."</p>
<p>Jared's smiling when Jensen kisses him again. Jensen knows that somehow, despite a global pandemic and a near-drowning and a tropical storm and anything else the universe has up its sleeve, he's finally got Jared into his life, and Jared's got him. And they're never letting go.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading this bit of pandemic-inspired fluff. Hope everyone out there stays safe! Comments are kudos always appreciated &lt;3 &lt;3 &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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